12 nabbed for permit-less quarrying
Agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Environmenta lCrime Division arrested 12 persons for alleged illegal quarrying activities in Rodriguez, Rizal.
NBI officer in charge Eric Distor identified the arrested as Ericson Mayo, Raul Garcia, Windel Bueno, Pablo Rimorin, Nico Yunapa, Roldan Bonife, Dexter Colas, Jojie Manzanillo, Albert Esto, Fernando Lopez, Randy Caganan and Danieboy Alejandro.
The NBI has received reports of alleged rampant illegal mining and quarrying activities being conducted by the suspects in Barangay San Isidro.
Those nabbed were allegedly extracting and disposing of minerals without the necessary permit from the Rizal Provincial Mining Regulatory Board and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources — Mines and Geosciences Bureau (DENR-MGB) Region IV.
Surveillance operations were conducted by the NBI operatives in the area which led to the confirmation of the illegal quarrying operation.
A certification issued by DENR-MGB on 12 October 2021 said the group has no valid and existing mineral production sharing agreement or industrial sand and gravel permit.
The said documents are needed for the extraction of materials in relation to the sanitary landfill project in the Municipality Rodriguez, Rizal, the NBI said.
The operation resulted in the seizure of 13 backhoes, three bulldozers, one drill rig, six dump trucks, six conveyor belts, 40 M3 S1 manufactured sand and 9,000 M3 extracted/liberated aggregates with a total estimated value of P36,465,000.
The suspects were subjected to an inquest before the Office of Provincial Prosecutor of Rizal for violation of Section 103 (Theft of Minerals) under Republic Act 7942, otherwise known as the “Philippine Mining Act of 1995.”
A certain Jose Allan Cruz (at-large), was also included in the complaint regarding the same violation of the law.